Murder Has You Laughing Out Loud

'Cozy Comedy' A Wild Journey

March 07, 1999|By FELICIA MASON Daily Press

Donna Andrews will have you chuckling in the first few pages of her debut novel, "Murder with Peacocks." Keep reading though. Those chuckles will quickly turn into out-and-out laughter as the comic mystery develops.

Andrews, who lives in Arlington, has a gift of creating zany situations, screwball characters and sassy, snappy dialogue. She was the winner of the 1998 St. Martin's Press/ Malice Domestic Best First Traditional Mystery Contest. What that means is: She wrote a dynamite book and got a $10,000 prize that included publication of the novel.

"Murder with Peacocks" is set in Yorktown. It's written from the first-person perspective of Meg Langslow, a decorative blacksmith who closes her shop to go "down to Yorktown," for three weddings.

If you've ever been to a wedding or perchance had the unfortunate luck, or rather, the distinguished honor of being a member of a bridal party, you'll understand poor Meg's dilemma. She has to plan the details of and then be in the three weddings: her mother's, her best friend's and her brother's. When she arrives at Be-Stitched Dressmakers in her hometown, Meg finds a gorgeous man, discovers that her best friend has yet to order dresses, and gets a first look at one of the gowns she'll soon wear, as chosen by her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

The dresses are the least of Meg's worries though. Peacocks and dysfunctional family members are far more important. Meg's job throughout the story is to get the three brides ready for their nuptials and then to figure out what's going on with the dead bodies that keep showing up.

Don't worry if you figure out whodunit. That part isn't half as fun as the wild journey offered up by Andrews, a new and welcome voice in cozy comedies.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Donna Andrews who now lives in Arlington, grew up in Yorktown and is a graduate of Walsingham Academy in Williamsburg and the University of Virginia. She is scheduled to autograph copies of "Murder with Peacocks" from 1 to 3 p.m. March 28 at the York County Library.